Michael Jordan and Steve Kerr won three NBA titles together from 1996 to 1999 for the Chicago Bulls under Phil Jackson’s coaching. Notably, Jordan assisted Kerr’s two-point jump shot, which was the game-winner in the 1996 NBA Finals against the Seattle Supersonics.
Jordan usually took clutch shots for the Bulls, a feat he was famous for. As such, the five-time NBA MVP giving the responsibility to another player, let alone Kerr, was surprising. Funnily enough, the reason why Jordan trusted Kerr could be attributed to a negative incident between the duo.
Looking Back at the Intense Altercation Between Michael Jordan and Steve Kerr
After the Phoenix Suns selected Kerr as the 50th pick in the second round of the 1988 NBA draft, he played for two more teams before joining the Bulls in 1993. Fast-forward two more years, and Kerr and Jordan guarded against each other in a practice scrimmage.
As expected, Jordan and his team gained the upper hand, which upset Kerr, who made it a more physical duel. However, Coach Jackson didn’t allow Jordan to do the same to Kerr, which upset him. After Kerr lost his patience and showed Jordan, the legendary NBA star responded by punching his teammate, giving him a black eye. Coach Jackson immediately suspended Jordan after the incident.
Jordan and Kerr revisited the incident on “The Last Dance,” the sports documentary series highlighting the Bulls’ 1997-1998 season.
“Phil sensed my aggression, but he was trying to tone me down and he starts calling these tick attack fellows Now I’m getting mad because for you to be protecting this guy, that’s not it’s not gonna help us when we play in New York It’s not gonna help us when we play these teams. They’re very physical. Next time, he did it, I just hauled off. I said when I found Steve Kerr,” Jordan said.
“I said, now that’s I have a lot of patience as a human being, but I tend to snap at some point because I’m extremely competitive, too. It’s not really good enough to back it up usually, but I’m gone. I’m gone,” Kerr said.
Jordan’s last season with the Bulls was the 1997-98 season. With them, he won six NBA titles and the finals MVP honor on multiple occasions. He retired after the season but later returned to play for the Washington Wizards for two seasons.
Meanwhile, Kerr left the Bulls after the 1997-1998 season and joined the San Antonio Spurs, winning the NBA title with them in 1999. He joined the Portland Trailblazers in 2001 before returning to the Spurs and retiring after the 2002-2003 season.
Kerr is now the coach of the Golden State Warriors, who have won four NBA titles under his leadership. He has been in the position since 2014.
